Founder and CEO of Tango Gameworks, Shinji Mikami, is leaving after having spent 12 years with the studio. The departure was first shared last night when TrueAchievements obtained an internal email sent to employees at Tango and Bethesda. The departure was then confirmed by Bethesda earlier today.
Mikami's career expands far beyond his 12 years at Tango. While working at Capcom, Mikami is credited with creating the original Resident Evil. Mikami continued to work on several entries in the beloved survival horror franchise up through Resident Evil 4. Mikami was also instrumental in the creation of the Dino Crisis franchise, Devil May Cry, Phoenix Wright, Killer 7, Viewtiful Joe, and more.
After founding Tango Gameworks in 2010, Mikami led development on 2014's The Evil Within which was followed up by The Evil Within 2 in 2017. Mikami was the executive producer on other Tango titles such as Ghostwire: Tokyo and the recently released hit Hi-Fi Rush. The latter of which becoming one of the most successful launches for both Bethesda and Xbox in recent years.
Mikami's final day at Tango Gameworks was not shared, but he is expected to leave "in the coming months." In late 2020, Mikami is on record saying that he wanted to direct one last big project of his own before retiring.
“I am getting old, and so it would be more of a matter of how much energy I have,†he said.
“My thinking is that if I had a chance to make a game from the beginning to end that’s completely my vision, then definitely, that would be my big last project as a director. It would probably be more fitting as that ‘last game I direct’ kind of thing.â€â€‹
“My thinking is that if I had a chance to make a game from the beginning to end that’s completely my vision, then definitely, that would be my big last project as a director. It would probably be more fitting as that ‘last game I direct’ kind of thing.â€â€‹
